Overview

• South Africa beat Rwanda 3-0 in Nelspruit to finish first in Group C with 18 points and qualify directly.
• Mbatha, Appolis and Makgopa scored the goals that settled the hosts’ decisive win.
• Nigeria overpowered Benin 4-0 in Uyo, led by a Victor Osimhen hat-trick with Frank Onyeka adding the fourth.
• Nigeria took second place on tiebreakers to reach the African playoff, while Benin slipped to third and was eliminated on 17 points.
• The qualification returns South Africa to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 after an earlier three-point penalty had complicated their path.